當稅改的塵埃落定，大家紛紛在談論這個話題。到底跟我們有多大關係，是不是真的可以少交稅，最重要的是，2018年的稅改，我們在2017年剩下的幾天裏可以做什麽？可能很多人都已經知道了，你現在可做的就是先把2017的地產稅全部付了。
這次稅改的核心是大幅降低公司稅，其所得稅率將從35%降至21%，估計稅改後10年將增多1.5萬億美元。這些跟我們普通打工族沒有直接關係，當然那些自己開公司的，或許可以在年底之前把一些開銷expenses盡早記在賬上，不需等到明年，以得到稅上的好處。(順便說一句，我不是tax specialist).
這次稅改是1986年以來第一次重大的稅法(tax code)改革，你上網查一下就知道了，個人認為，跟我們最息息相關的有下麵幾條(我不多寫，大家自己上網查)：
1).如果你是用standard deduction, 恭喜你，那麽這個折扣額度增加了一倍。
2).原來如果在折扣後收入在$155,650以下的，每個人有$4050的個人免稅額personal exemption, 這個被取消了，這個取消對每個家庭影響很大。Too bad!
3). 稅率減低了0-4%, 看你的收入是哪一檔(bracket).
4).原先Schedule A Itemized裏(5) state and local tax, 和(6) property tax的抵扣額是沒有限製的(unlimited), 但是2018年開始，隻有$10,000的抵扣額。如果你有房子的，住在高房價區，付高地產稅區，那就倒黴了。當然如果的收入高到有AMT，那可能又無關大雅，情況又不太一樣。
5). 房子的利息抵扣稅cap在$750,000, 原先以為跟我們關係不大，誰會貸款那麽高，那非得被壓的喘不過氣來，一讀報紙才知，有百分之八十以上的人其貸款超過$500,00。
在我看來，總體來說，對中產階層，我們以後是會多交稅，就如下文《華》報說言，"...is a middle class tax hike"。
今天 12/27/2017《華爾街日報》報道，各州的人們都在紛紛提起前支付property taxes. 我摘錄其中幾段如下。
網友們，你如果是有房族的，如果你的地產稅還沒付清，離年底還有三四天，趕緊付了！！
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Property Owners Rush to Prepay Tax Bills
WSJ 12/27/2017
Homeowners across the nation are rushing this week to prepay their property taxes for 2018 before the Republican tax law kicks in Jan. 1 and effectively raises the levy on higher-end homes.
The new legislation, which President Donald Trump signed into law last week, caps at $10,000 the amount of state and local taxes that filers can deduct from their federal tax bill. That means those whose tax bills regularly exceed that amount could benefit by paying more tax in 2017, when the deduction has no limit.
….
The new tax law “is a middle-class tax hike for us, and we’re trying to postpone at least some of that for at least one more year,” said Montgomery County Council President Hans Riemer.
…
The $10,000 limit also covers state and local income and sales taxed, but lawmakers drafting the bill barred people from prepaying those other levies. “It left it up to the localities whether or not they would allow you to prepay” property taxes, said Nicole Kaeding, an economist at the Tax Foundation.
…
Nationwide, about a quarter of taxpayers deducted their real-estate taxes in 2015, the latest year available, shaving roughly $5000 from the average tax bill, according to Tax Policy Cneter data. At least one taxpayer in three deducted those taxes in Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey and Massachusetts.
“This matters most in areas that have higher levels of state and local income taxes,” Ms. Kaeding said, “Think the D.C. area, New York, California, Connecticut, New Jersey.”
The drafters of the tax bill say unlimited deduction simply cost the federal government too much money and encouraged big spending by state and local governments.
…
Sacramento County, Calif., is allowing residents to pay by year-end a property-tax installment due next April. Some would pay even more if they could, but the county isn’t yet accepting payments for tax bills further out, county spokeswoman Kim Nava said.
Santa Clara County, in high-cost Silicon Valley, said collections for April 2018 installments already total $422 million, compared with $303 million at this time last year.
....
....
|
